Search Results (97)

Maize, as the global highest-yield grain crop, can impact social stability and security based on its annual yield. Given that maize viruses have caused up to 91% yield reductions, investigating maize virus diseases is of the utmost importance. In July 2020, a suspected maize yellow mosaic virus (MaYMV) was discovered in a maize field, and a MaYMV detection protocol was established. The MaYMV isolate MA70, discovered in a maize plant from Wuri District, Taiwan, in November 2022, was shown to infect both maize 42 days post-inoculation (dpi) and wheat (35 dpi), causing mosaic symptoms, through aphid transmission with corn leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis). To determine the whole genome sequence of MA70, a 5642 bp sequence was obtained using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Sequencing results indicated a 94.8–96.8% nucleotide sequence similarity with 54 MaYMV isolates from GenBank and with amino acid sequence identities exceeding 90% for all MaYMV proteins. Phylogenetic analysis showed the relationship of MA70 is closest to the Chinese isolate. The nucleotide sequence identity was lower among isolates of more distinct geographical clusters. Between October 2023 and January 2024, survey results indicated that MaYMV prevalence in corn fields across six areas in Taichung reached 17.5% (130/743 plants) and was present in all the sampled fields. MaYMV was present in all sampled fields affirming its ubiquitous presence. This study establishes the first documented case of MaYMV in Taiwan; however, survey findings hint at a potential pre-existing presence in Taiwanese maize fields. Therefore, this research also develops a practical diagnostic tool for field monitoring of MaYMV prevalence, which is crucial for informing future disease management strategies, including the critical need for cross-strait between Taiwan and China collaboration on viral disease surveillance. Full article

Coastal Trapped Waves (CTWs) represent an important class of mesoscale fluctuations in nearshore shelf regions and play a crucial role in modulating coastal circulation. The South China Sea (SCS), the largest semi-enclosed marginal sea in the western Pacific Ocean, features a continental shelf approximately 200 km wide. During summer, the SCS is frequently impacted by typhoons, which often trigger significant CTWs. This study investigates the characteristics of CTWs generated by Typhoon ‘Soudelor’ (No. 1513) in the northwestern SCS, based on current observations and numerical model simulations. Under the influence of Soudelor, CTWs characterized by elevated water levels nearshore and depressed water levels offshore were initially generated by wind-induced Ekman transport in the Taiwan Strait. These waves subsequently propagated southwestward along the coastline with phase velocities ranging from 7.2 to 18.3 m/s. Model results indicate that the CTW influenced current fields up to 160 km offshore, with a maximum CTW-induced current velocity exceeding 0.7 m/s. The vertical structure of the CTW-induced current field exhibited a barotropic characteristic. The influence of CTWs on current fields diminished with propagation distance, accompanied by a reduction in the induced current velocity. This attenuation was particularly pronounced between Xiamen (XM) and Shanwei (SW). Sensitivity experiments further revealed that the slowed propagation phase velocity of CTWs between XM and SW was attributable to strong reflection, scattering, and nonlinear effects caused by the abrupt topographic changes of the Taiwan Bank. Full article

Nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) are central to global carbon reduction strategies, and Taiwan is actively promoting their adoption through building energy performance labeling, particularly in the retrofit of existing buildings. Under Taiwan’s nZEB framework, qualification requires both an A⁺ energy performance label and over 50% energy savings from retrofit technologies. This study proposes an integrated assessment framework for retrofitting small- to medium-sized office buildings into nZEBs, incorporating diagnostics, technical evaluation, policy alignment, and resource integration. A case study of a bank branch in Kaohsiung involved on-site energy monitoring and EnergyPlus V22.2 simulations to calibrate and assess the retrofit impacts. Lighting improvements and two HVAC scenarios—upgrading the existing fan coil unit (FCU) system and adopting a completely new variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system—were evaluated. The FCU and VRF scenarios reduced the energy use intensity from 141.3 to 82.9 and 72.9 kWh/m²·yr, respectively. Combined with rooftop photovoltaics and green power procurement, both scenarios met Taiwan’s nZEB criteria. The proposed framework demonstrates practical and scalable strategies for decarbonizing existing office buildings, supporting Taiwan’s 2050 net-zero target. Full article

Ehrlichia canis is a tick-transmitted zoonotic pathogen in dogs. We conducted a molecular survey for screening of E. canis infection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks infesting dogs and identified its genetic identity in Taiwan. A total of 1195 R. sanguineus ticks were collected and examined for Ehrlichia infection by nested-PCR assay targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. In general, Ehrlichia infection was detected in 1.5% of examined ticks, and was detected in nymph, male and female stages with infection rates of 0.6%, 1.31% and 2.76%, respectively. The highest monthly prevalence was observed in August with an infection rate of 5.91%. Genetic identity was analyzed by comparing the 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from 11 Taiwan strains and 15 other strains representing five genospecies of Ehrlichia spp., including two outgroups (Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia rickettsii). Results revealed that all Taiwan strains were genetically affiliated to the same clade within various E. canis strains documented in GenBank with a high sequence similarity (99.7–100%) and that they can be clearly distinguished from other genospecies of Ehrlichia. This study provides the first evidence of E. canis identified in R. sanguineus ticks and highlights the potential threat for human infections in Taiwan. Full article

The role of gender in osteoarthritis (OA) has been reported. However, knowledge on whether gender-specific regulatory SNPs are determining factors in OA is limited. We aimed to identify susceptible gender-specific SNPs of transcription factor binding sites in OA. We used a modified NF-κB binding motif from an RNA sequencing data-inferred OA-associated upstream regulator to define genome-wide potential NF-κB binding sites, which were aligned to the Taiwan BioBank SNP database to identify susceptible SNPs. A case-control study was conducted to verify SNPs with OA determined by a logistic model. The functional assessment was validated using the Genotype-Tissue Expression Portal database. We collected 533 OA patients and 614 healthy controls. Two of nine novel OA-associated SNPs were identified to be significant. For males, the variant of rs73164856 in the aldose reductase gene enhancer was identified to be a protective factor of severe OA patients [odds ratio (OR): 0.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04–0.73]. For females, the variant of the rs545654 in the neuronal NOS (nNOS) gene was identified to be a detrimental factor of severe OA patients (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.15–3.73). The gene expression analysis demonstrated a lower expression of the AKR1B15 gene (p = 0.00019) upon the rs73164856 T allele; meanwhile, it showed a higher expression of the nNOS gene (p = 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁷) upon the rs545654 T allele. This study identifies susceptible gender-specific SNPs of NF-κB binding sites in severe OA and validates the RMCGA, which sheds light on genetic determinants by gender in advanced OA. Full article

High-resolution (2 km), high-frequency (hourly) SST data of the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) flown onboard the Japanese Himawari-8 geostationary satellite were used to derive the monthly climatology of temperature fronts in the South China Sea. The SST data from 2015 to 2022 were processed with the Belkin–O’Reilly algorithm to generate maps of SST gradient magnitude GM. The GM maps were log-transformed to enhance contrasts in digital maps and reveal additional features (fronts). The combination of high-resolution, cloud-free, four-day-composite SST imagery from AHI, the advanced front-preserving gradient algorithm BOA, and digital contrast enhancement with the log-transformation of SST gradients allowed us to identify numerous mesoscale/submesoscale fronts (including a few fronts that have never been reported) and document their month-to-month variability and spatial patterns. The spatiotemporal variability of SST fronts was analyzed in detail in five regions: (1) In the Taiwan Strait, six fronts were identified: the China Coastal Front, Taiwan Bank Front, Changyun Ridge Front, East Penghu Channel Front, and Eastern/Western Penghu Islands fronts; (2) the Guangdong Shelf is dominated by the China Coastal Front in winter, with the eastern and western Guangdong fronts separated by the Pearl River outflow in summer; (3) Hainan Island is surrounded by upwelling fronts of various nature (wind-driven coastal and topographic) and tidal mixing fronts; in the western Beibu Gulf, the Red River Outflow Front extends southward as the Vietnam Coastal Front, while the northern Beibu Gulf features a tidal mixing front off the Guangxi coast; (4) Off SE Vietnam, the 11°N coastal upwelling gives rise to a summertime front, while the Mekong Outflow and associated front extend seasonally toward Cape Camau, close to the Gulf of Thailand Entrance Front; (5) In the Luzon Strait, the Kuroshio Front manifests as a chain of three fronts across the Babuyan Islands, while west of Luzon Island a broad offshore frontal zone persists in winter. The summertime eastward jet (SEJ) off SE Vietnam is documented from five-day mean SST data. The SEJ emerges in June–September off the 11°N coastal upwelling center and extends up to 114°E. The zonally oriented SEJ is observed to be located between two large gyres, each about 300 km in diameter. Full article

Competition in Taiwan’s banking industry is becoming fierce. Banks’ traditional income based on interest rates is insufficient to support their growth. Therefore, banks are eager to expand their wealth management business to increase profits. The fee income from the sale of mutual funds is one of the major sources of banks’ wealth management business. The problem is how to look for the right customers and contact them effectively. Therefore, it is necessary to develop classification prediction models for these banks to evaluate their customers’ potential to buy mutual fund products sold by commercial banks and then deploy marketing resources on these customers to increase banks’ profits. Recently, the XGBoost algorithm has been widely used in conducting classification tasks. Therefore, using the eXtreme Gradient Boosting algorithm, a mutual fund marketing prediction model is developed based on a commercial bank’s data in this study. The results show that whether a customer has an unsecured loan, a customer’s amount of assets in the bank, the number of months for transactions, a place of residence, and whether the bank is the main bank for the total amount of credit card bills in the past six months are the top five factors for the models, providing valuable information for effective wealth management and marketing. Full article

Rickettsia infection in Haemaphysalis hystricis ticks infesting dogs was first screened in Taiwan by nested-PCR assay targeting the citrate synthase gene (gltA) of Rickettsia. A general infection rate (3.46%) was detected in a total of 1186 examined ticks, and infection rates of 3.20%, 3.6%, and 4.27% were detected in females, males, and nymphs, respectively. The monthly prevalence of Rickettsia infection was observed from March to November, and the highest infection was detected in April (6.92%) followed by a higher infection in July (5.56%), October (4.72%), September (3.57%), and May (3.54%). The prevalence of Rickettsia infection in ticks infesting stray dogs (4.15%) is significantly higher than ticks infesting domestic dogs (1.11%) (chi-square test, p = 0.015). Genetic analysis based on the gltA gene sequences from 13 Taiwan specimens, compared with 13 genospecies of Rickettsia strains documented in GenBank, revealed that the genetic identities of these Taiwan strains were phylogenetically affiliated with the genospecies of the transitional group (R. felis) and the spotted fever group (R. aeschlimannii and R. raoultii) of Rickettsia. This study demonstrates the first molecular screening of Rickettsia spp. in H. hystricis ticks infesting dogs in Taiwan. The human pathogenic strain of R. aeschlimannii was first discovered in H. hystricis ticks infesting dogs. Because dogs serve as companion animals to humans, the presence of various Rickettsia species existing in H. hystricis ticks may pose a potential threat to human health in Taiwan. Full article

The near-inertial motion in ocean surface currents directly reflects the energy transported by wind towards the surface layer, playing an important role in climate regulation and energy balance. Previous studies have mainly focused on near inertial oscillations (NIOs) induced by tropical cyclones in the Taiwan Strait, with few reports on near inertial oscillations induced by monsoon onset. Using high-frequency radar observations, we detected an amplification of NIOs induced by the winter monsoon onset. While not as strong as NIOs induced by tropical cyclones, the near-inertial current (NIC) induced by winter monsoon onset in the Taiwan Strait has peak speeds reaching up to 5.2 cm/s and explaining up to 0.7% of non-tidal variance. This study presents observational results of NIOs during three monsoon onset events, and analyzes the impact of winds and temperature changes on NIOs. Temporal and spectral analysis reveals that the monsoon onset is the primary driver behind the formation of NIOs. Results indicate that near-inertial kinetic energy is relatively lower in shallower waters, such as the Taiwan Bank, compared to deeper regions. Furthermore, by integrating the air and sea surface temperature from reanalysis products, we have examined the abrupt changes in sea surface temperature (SST) before and after monsoon onset and their correlation with NIOs. The findings suggest that temperature falling favors the intensification of NICs during monsoon onset, and a lack of significant SST changes precludes the triggering of notable NICs. These insights enhance our understanding of the mechanisms driving NIOs and their roles in seawater mixing. Full article

High-resolution (2 km) high-frequency (hourly) SST data from 2015 to 2021 provided by the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard the Japanese Himawari-8 geostationary satellite were used to study spatial and temporal variability of the China Coastal Front (CCF) in the South China Sea. The SST data were processed with the Belkin and O’Reilly (2009) algorithm to generate monthly maps of the CCF’s intensity (defined as SST gradient magnitude GM) and frontal frequency (FF). The horizontal structure of the CCF was investigated from cross-frontal distributions of SST along 11 fixed lines that allowed us to determine inshore and offshore boundaries of the CCF and calculate the CCF’s strength (defined as total cross-frontal step of SST). Combined with the results of Part 1 of this study, where the CCF was documented in the East China Sea, the new results reported in this paper allowed the CCF to be traced from the Yangtze Bank to Hainan Island. The CCF is continuous in winter, when its intensity peaks at 0.15 °C/km (based on monthly data). In summer, when the Guangdong Coastal Current reverses and flows eastward, the CCF’s intensity is reduced to 0.05 °C/km or less, especially off western Guangdong, where the CCF vanishes almost completely. Owing to its breadth (50–100 km, up to 200 km in the Taiwan Strait), the CCF is a very strong front, especially in winter, when the total SST step across the CCF peaks at 9 °C in the Taiwan Strait. The CCF’s strength decreases westward to 6 °C off eastern Guangdong, 5 °C off western Guangdong, and 2 °C off Hainan Island, all in mid-winter. Full article

Taiwan Bank (TB) is located in the southern Taiwan Strait (TS). The uplifted continental slope and bottom currents in this area result in the formation of upwelling areas, which serve as crucial fishing grounds. Climate-induced fluctuations in fish populations occur in the TS. However, how predation and competition affect the interspecies relationships in the TB ecosystem warrants clarification. In this study, we collected high-grid-resolution data on fishery activity (2013–2019) and constructed ecosystem models using Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE). Three mass-balanced models for determining the influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events on the TB ecosystem were constructed using EwE. A range of groups, including representative pelagic, benthic, and reef species, were collected for analyzing the relationship between migratory and sedentary species in terms of ecosystem structure variation due to climate change. The results demonstrated that the total system throughput (TST) was 10,556–11,122 t km⁻² year⁻¹, with an average transfer efficiency of 12.26%. According to the keystoneness index, calculated through mixed trophic impact analysis, Polydactylus sextarius and Scomber japonicus were the key species with top–down control and relatively high impact on the ecosystem in normal years. The keystone species also shifted to the predator fish Thunnus albacares and Katsuwonus pelamis during El Niño and La Niña events, respectively. Moreover, total biomass, TST, consumption, and respiration were noted to increase during ENSO events. However, during La Niña events, the diversity and connectance indexes were relatively low but pelagic species’ biomass was relatively high, whereas the biomass of most benthic and reef species was relatively high during El Niño events. Full article

This study aimed to explore efficiency changes in Taiwan’s banking industry before and after the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by using the maximum slacks-based measure approach. The data, spanning from 2018 to 2021, categorized banks into three systems: state-owned, private, and foreign. Bank performance was measured from two perspectives: single-period evaluation (assessing bank performance in each year individually) and cross-period evaluation (assessing bank performance from 2018 to 2021 collectively). Inter-temporal changes in bank performance across the three banking systems were analyzed. The results indicated that only foreign banks rebounded rapidly after the COVID-19 outbreak, while the average performance of private banks remained stagnant, and state-owned banks performed worse than before the outbreak. Therefore, it is recommended that state-owned banks develop effective and rapid improvement policies to address major emergencies. Additionally, the study found that inefficiencies in banks were due to excessive input resources and/or failure to achieve the output targets. The input–output gap of inefficient banks was also analyzed, providing learning benchmarks and clear improvement targets that can help these banks formulate practical actions to improve their performance. Full article

Anaplasma platys is a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen of canines. In this study, the presence of A. platys was screened for in brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l.) infesting stray dogs in Taiwan to determine overall prevalence. This study represents the first instance of genetic identification of A. platys in brown dog ticks in Taiwan. In total, we examined 324 brown dog ticks for A. platys infection by nested polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The general prevalence of A. platys infection was 3.1%, with 3.6%, 4.0%, and 2.1% in nymph, female, and male ticks, respectively. Monthly prevalence of infection was observed from May to September. Genetic relatedness was determined by comparing the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene obtained from six Taiwan strains and seventeen other strains, representing six genospecies of Anaplasma spp. and three outgroups (Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia rickettsia, and Escherichia coli). All Taiwan specimens were shown to genetically belong to the A. platys group, and could be clearly discriminated from other Anaplasma spp. Genetic similarities revealed a 100% identity match with various A. platys documented in GenBank. This study highlights the epidemiological importance of geographical transmission of A. platys among dogs and the possible risk for human infections in Taiwan. Full article

Within the domain of industrial control systems, safeguarding data integrity stands as a pivotal endeavor, especially in light of the burgeoning menace posed by malicious tampering and potential data loss. Traditional data storage paradigms, tethered to physical hard disks, are fraught with inherent susceptibilities, underscoring the pressing need for the deployment of resilient preservation frameworks. This study delves into the transformative potential offered by distributed ledger technology (DLT), with a specific focus on IOTA, within the expansive landscape of the Internet of Things (IoT). Through a meticulous examination of the intricacies inherent to data transmission protocols, we present a novel paradigm aimed at fortifying data security. Our approach advocates for the strategic placement of IOTA nodes on lower-level devices, thereby streamlining the transmission pathway and curtailing vulnerabilities. This concerted effort ensures the seamless preservation of data confidentiality and integrity from inception to storage, bolstering trust in the convergence of IoT and DLT technologies. By embracing proactive measures, organizations can navigate the labyrinthine terrain of data management, effectively mitigate risks, and cultivate an environment conducive to innovation and progress. Full article

During the 2008 financial crisis, central banks (such as the Fed) adopted a quantitative easing (QE) policy to stimulate their countries’ economies and overcome severe economic and financial recessions. However, apart from stimulating the economy by issuing a substantial amount of currency to purchase long-term bonds and suppress interest rates, QE policy also contributed to a boom in the real estate and construction sectors. Therefore, this study employs data envelopment analysis to measure the business performance (BP) of construction companies, and explore the impact of QE policy on the BP of construction companies, between 2004 and 2015, using hierarchical regression. We also examine the moderating role of the debt ratio on the relationship. Focused on publicly listed construction companies in Taiwan, this research reveals three encouraging findings. Firstly, QE policy indeed enhanced the BP of Taiwanese construction companies. Secondly, performance improvements in construction companies due to QE policy show a time-diminishing trend, suggesting the importance of seizing the initial policy benefits of QE implementation. Lastly, construction companies with appropriate financial leverage may exhibit better BP. These findings can provide valuable insights for relevant government entities and decision-makers in the industry for policy and investment decisions. Full article